Hollywood Planet: Global Media and the Competitive Advantage of Narrative Transparency

This work discusses the choice between cultural and anarchy, and about the role the international media play in the coaxing us to one or the other. As television and film travel freely across national borders, from one cultural context to another, do they reinforce the difference or sameness of cultures? Is it possible that they do something unrelated to reinforcing a dichotomy between difference and sameness? Olson’s argument follows a simple structure. It first details the primary thesis, then demonstrates the magnitude of the United States’ media success. The author shows how the United States has such a national advantage in the media, shows what the advantage is, and gives examples of how that strategy has been deployed. He also dicusses the social ramifications of this practice.